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Injection Molded Plastics: What you Need to Know
Posted: 8/20/2018
By: Collin Barnwell
Hundreds of manufacturers across the nation utilize injection molded plastics, and more specifically plastic side release buckles, in their supply chain. In everyday products, ranging from backpacks to pet collars, injection molded plastics are used and have become a common commodity part for manufacturers.
Injection Molded Manufacturing Process
While injection molding can be a time-consuming process to start with, design work and mold tooling, the process has several advantages when scaled. Injection molding is a simple process in which molten plastic material is injected into a series of runners, guiding the material into the desired slot and shape. Runners are a series of channels inside the mold providing the molten material a pathway to the final chamber.
Injection molding provides a middle of the road and effective way to product several of the identical or similar pieces. CNC Machining is another popular tooling method for plastic components, but produces a large amount of waste in material shavings. 3D Printing is another popular component manufacturing process, but lacks in speed and efficiency.
Popular Types of Plastic Material
The plastic material used when producing injection molded components is almost as important as the design itself. Different materials offer different levels of chemical resistance, UV resistance, creep resistance, impact resistance, and tensile strength. Below lists some of the popular injection molded materials used in the marketplace today.
| Material | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) | Adheres well to metal coatings - used in industries ranging from automotive to plumbing | Limited weathering resistance, relatively high cost, and flammable with high smoke generation |
| Polyethylene (HDPE / LDPE) | Very versatile in application - high level ductility, tensile strength, impact resistance, and resistance to moisture | Should not be used in harsh weather or high-temperature applications |
| Acetal | Highly common material used widely in household applications - offers excellent surface lubricity and high creep* resistance | Should not be used for applications in high heat environments |
* - creep is the tendency of a solid material to slowly move or deform under the influence of mechanical stresses.
Popular Types of Side Release Buckles
Side release buckles are available in a variety of styles and variations, each with their own standard uses. Below are the styles which are popular with DirecTex manufacturers.
| Style | Characteristics | Common Uses | Related SKUs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjustable | Contains molded teeth on inside of slide used for tension securing webbing | luggage and bags, life jackets | WM130 |
| Contoured | Molded with a slight curve, or contour, to the buckle | pet collars | WM106 |
DirecTex Available Inventory
Directex stocks the below side release buckle inventory. Interested in sampling or receiving a quote for one of our buckles? Just choose from one of the listings below and select "Sample Request" or "Quote Request" from the product screen.
- Standard Side Release Buckle - WM130
- Narrow Contoured Side Release Buckle - WM104
- Contoured Side Release Buckle - WM106
- Contoured Wide-Mouth Side Release Buckle - WM106W
Interested in other products of our Titan Plastic Hardware line? Click here. Titan Plastic Hardware offers a complete line of plastic d-rings, o-rings, tri-rings, webbing loops, cord locks, keepers, and more.
DirecTex offers low-cost wholesale pricing to business and government agencies. Contact DirecTex to learn more about our product lines. DirecTex specializes in custom manufactured components and subassemblies for your projects.
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